Common neuropsychiatric diseases are associated with significant human and economic cost. The development of more effective treatments requires scientific progress on a broad front and animal models have a vital role to play in these advances, enabling exploration of the functional consequences of molecular changes at the cellular, systems and behavioural levels. This volume discusses some of the latest and most exciting advances in the field. The first five chapters consider developments in gene modification techniques, their applications in vivo across a variety of species and the latest work related to Schizophrenia, Huntington s Disease and Major Depressive Disorder. Three chapters then focus on recent developments in Autism, Drug Dependence and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. In the final four chapters consideration is given to the development of models in larger species and to emergent approaches, such as epigenetic regulation, gene X environment interactions and MRI as a tool for understanding the function of neuronal systems in non- human species, all of which are likely to play an increasingly important role in the scientific discourse related to neuropsychiatric diseases.

From the contents: Preface

Mouse mutagenesis and disease models for Neuropsychiatric disorders. - Drosophila as a model organism for the study of neuropsychiatric disorders
Transgenic animal models of Huntington's Disease
Molecular genetic models related to schizophrenia and psychotic illness: heuristics and challenges
Animal Models of Depression: Molecular Perspectives.-Animal models of ADHD
Mouse Models of Autism: Testing Hypotheses about Molecular Mechanisms
Advances in animal models of drug addiction
When the serotonin transporter gene meets adversity: The contribution of animal models to understanding epigenetic mechanisms in affective disorders and resilience
Functional and Pharmacological MRI in understanding brain function at a systems level
The pig as model animal for studying cognition and neurobehavioral disorders.